Thursday, June 18, 2009

An open discussion thread for each of Streep's nominations. The nominees for 1979 were...

Jane Alexander, Kramer vs. Kramer

Barbara Barrie, Breaking Away

Candice Bergen, Starting Over

Mariel Hemingway, Manhattan

Meryl Streep, Kramer vs. Kramer

...and Meryl won. The first of her two (only two. sigh) Oscar wins. As a little kid I was really into Breaking Away because my sister was in love with it... and I worshipped everything my big sister loved. Barrie was quite an endearing presence as the cycling nut's mom. Hemingway and Streep are my favorite among the nominees these days. The Golden Globe lineup went 3/5 with Oscar, trading out Mariel and Barbara for Valerie Harper in Chapter Two and Kathleen Beller in Promises in the Dark... yes that Kathleen Beller, "Kirby Colby" from Dynasty for your 80s nostalgia freaks! I personally still wonder if Oscar ought to have thrown a nomination towards crazy-eyed, long-legged, codependent dancing freak Ann Reinking in All That Jazz (more on her performance here).

Which performances are you most crazy about from 1979 and how close did Oscar get to your dream ballot?

Bless you, bless you, Nathaniel for including "Everything Old is New Again." I had that clip on my site last year, watched it I don't know how many times, and still love it. When Ann Reinking does that highstepping thing 18 seconds in, I just die. What nonchalant grace. And what a shame she came of age when Hollywood stopped making musicals. But how great to see an actual dancer dancing in movies. You know?

As to '79: "Breaking Away" is one of the great American movies — by which I mean it's about America, about the class differences in America, and about the limits of reinvention here — and Barbara Barrie was the quintessential mom within it.

Haven't seen "Kramer" in while so hard to compare. I'm sure Meryl deserved her award. But did she deserve it for "Manhattan" instead?

sorry, i adored "starting over" back then. my crush on burt reynolds really GREW as i watched him give a lovely performance. jill didn't hurt the proceedings either. and as for candice, she was terrific. i have no idea who i wanted to win back then, but i'm happy that meryl got it. meryl should have it all.

I only have two nominees for 79 and they include Streep for Kramer and, actually, Leland Palmer (Joe's ex-wife) in All That Jazz. I always found her to be the most interesting among the women in Joe's life.

I actually thought Jane Alexander was superb in Kramer..... I found her chemistry with Hoffman so unique and odd but at the same time quite palpable. The little moment when Ted touches her face as she plaintively talks about her ex-husband and the look that she then gives back to Ted is sublime. Granted, Alexander's tired, forlorn screen presence sometimes comes across too stiff or mechanic (All the President's Men). I loved her characterization here and I completely support the nomination (Though Meryl did indeed deserve to win) Did you not like her Nat?

Ummm... definitely siding with Dame James. Leland Palmer is the All That Jazz performance that blows my mind... aside from Roy Scheider of course. Her little dance rehearsal opposite Scheider is one of my favorite moments of cinema.

Oops! Sorry that I didn't elaborate on my choices earlier. I'll do so now.

Though both MacLaine and Weaver seem like leads in their movies, I find them both better suited to the supporting category.

Prior to Alien, next to NO ONE knew who Sigourney was. And, until the latter part of the film, she is part of an ensemble. Doesn't this type of breakthrough usually result (if it does at all) in a supporting nomination?

Regarding MacLaine, I recall reading long ago that the studio suggested her for a supporting nomination and that she later regretted holding out for lead as it probably cost her a nomination. Also, had her role been played by a lesser known actress, it would never have been considered lead. Though I may be wrong. ;-)

Btw, Nick: Yes! Of course Barbara Harris!! Oh, the lack of love for that gal!!

i'd hands down give it to streep over any supporting performance of 79. her joanna is one for the books, especially the already mentioned first minutes of the film when she leaves the family. masterful!

Mmm... can't express any opinion over the other actress, but Streep and Alexander.I wasn't even born at that time and the only movie I've watched is Kramer.I just think Alexander nom was out of place... I mean, sh was really good but the part itself was not Oscar-nom-worthy, in my opinion.

I wouldn't see why Ann Reinking would get negative buzz for a nomination, especially since Woody Allen was a sure-fire nominee just two years earlier. If that's not "playing yourself" than I don't know what is. (Just to clarify, I would've nominated both of them.)

My ballot for what could be my favorite Supporting Actress year probably would've looked something like...

Just to put it out there, for me Meryl in 79 was like Kate Winslet last year. I'm sure that Meryl got more votes for "Manhattan" than, say, Candice Bergen, but because she had more votes for "Kramer vs. Kramer" that knocked out "Manhattan" because of that rule where you can only have 1 nomination per category. (We're all agreed that Kate got more votes for "Revolutionary Road" than Angelina Jolie, right?)

I was never over the moon with Meryl in "Kramer vs. Kramer." There was always something artificial with her role, and Dustin Hoffman is the one that stole the show there. But I haven't seen any of the nominees here besides Streep and Jane Alexander, so there's no way for me to say if anyone else in the lineup was more deserving for the win (I wouldn't have chosen Jane Alexander either).

I'm sure, at the time, I had only seen MEATBALLS and THE MUPPET MOVIE (which was up for 2 Oscors in 1980, (best song, and original score, sadly Miss Piggy was not up for it, cause she might have taken Meryl down)

That "Everything Old" clip you posted, Nat, is easily my favourite clip from any film, ever. It casts a spell over me.

Having said that, I'm another Leland Palmer cheerleader. Her very last moment in the film - his clenched fist, the stuck out tongue, the visible tears welling up in her eyes - is so fascinating and complex and wonderful.

Catherine... yeah, maybe i would include Palmer too. that moment sure was wonderful as was her reaction to Air Erotica and her general wariness/understanding/hurt/acceptance about his womanizing in general

Meryl's performance in Kramer was the standout that year. Given that the director allowed her to write and improvise for her role and she had to put up with Hoffman's agressive ego, the win was justified. Add to this her heartbreaking situtation with Cazale and the other two films she was in that year, her skyrocketing path was blazed.